1
as in to put
to arrange something in a certain spot or position
just lay the book over there on the table for now
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in to impose
to establish or apply as a charge or penalty
state officials tried to lay a tax on merchandise sold over the Internet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to prepare
to make ready in advance
she's laying plans for the charity auction months ahead of time
Synonyms & Similar Words
5
as in to spread
to put a layer of on a surface
the mason laid mortar over the first row of bricks before starting the second
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
7
as in to ascribe
to explain (something) as being the result of something else
an electrical fire that was laid to faulty wiring
Synonyms & Similar Words
8
as in to bury
to place (a dead body) in the earth, a tomb, or the sea
lay the corpse to rest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
as in ballad
a short musical composition for the human voice often with instrumental accompaniment
she sang a short lay in dedication to her husband
Synonyms & Similar Words
as in work
the activity by which one regularly makes a living
my main lay is as a general contractor, but I do side work as a carpenter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in laic
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Recent Examples of lay
Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 11 May 2025
Being in the highest tertile (one third for the lay person) of cardio health, Bhatt said, will add close to a decade to your life.
—John Werner, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
The president appoints one of the lay members for a five-year term, and the remaining members serve for six-year terms.
—Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 29 Apr. 2025
Tagle, who was also removed from his role, had been nominally president but was not involved in the day-to-day operations, which were overseen by a lay director-general.
—Philip Pullella, Crispian Balmer, Alvise Armellini, Joshua McElwee and Chris Scicluna, USA Today, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lay
Verb
There is an undeniable appeal of AI in the complicated U.S. tax space that often overwhelms even tax professionals, let alone the lay person.
—Virginia La Torre Jeker, Forbes.com, 11 May 2025
Being in the highest tertile (one third for the lay person) of cardio health, Bhatt said, will add close to a decade to your life.
—John Werner, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
The president appoints one of the lay members for a five-year term, and the remaining members serve for six-year terms.
—Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 29 Apr. 2025
Tagle, who was also removed from his role, had been nominally president but was not involved in the day-to-day operations, which were overseen by a lay director-general.
—Philip Pullella, Crispian Balmer, Alvise Armellini, Joshua McElwee and Chris Scicluna, USA Today, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lay
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lay
Verb
-
None of the four players sent to the Mariners made the Hall of Fame — putting Fister one up on Doyle Alexander.—
Ryan Ford,
Freep.com,
29 July 2025
-
The state health department distributes $12 million in SNAP-Ed funding annually to half a dozen agencies who, in turn, put staff in schools, senior centers, food pantries and farmers markets to teach food stamp recipients how to eat healthier and live a more active lifestyle.—
Kelly Meyerhofer,
jsonline.com,
29 July 2025
Verb
-
But if a real estate investment isn’t in the cards at the moment, settle for the next best thing by renting one of the many villas currently listed on Airbnb.—
Nicole Kliest,
Vogue,
14 July 2025
-
Gary, though, did have one last piece of business to settle — with Ballard herself, stalking her in the dark of the cold case unit’s basement HQ.—
Matt Webb Mitovich,
TVLine,
14 July 2025
Verb
-
For months, Trump had threatened, but held off on, imposing new sanctions against Russia's oil industry.—
arkansasonline.com,
arkansasonline.com,
14 July 2025
-
Several communities — including Highland Park, Schaumburg, Glen Ellyn and Lombard — have recently imposed age limits on riders, while Burr Ridge has banned e-scooters from its streets.—
Paulina Czupryna,
Chicago Tribune,
14 July 2025
Verb
-
The event will help shooters prepare for the statewide Marksmanship Challenge.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 July 2025
-
Firefighters, aided by wind, prepare for fire to shift course Firefighters actively engaged in preparation efforts to limit the fire's chance of spreading to the lodge and store, with the fire inching closer to the store on the east side of the closed State Route 67.—
Rey Covarrubias Jr,
AZCentral.com,
29 July 2025
Verb
-
Since then, King has created over 150 renderings spread across 10 posts that show the Queen City from new angles.—
Sydney Franklin,
The Enquirer,
31 July 2025
-
The Pan American Health Organization issued an epidemic warning as the worst yellow fever outbreak in decades spread across South America.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
31 July 2025
Verb
-
Jenny is betting this is the season that turns the program around.—
Emma Moon,
Charlotte Observer,
3 Aug. 2025
-
When the odds opened for this scrap, Magny was the +200 betting underdog to the -250 Dos Santos.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
2 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Based on those intense interactions, the temptation to ascribe God-like powers to the AI is going to be huge.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
-
Another trait often ascribed to footballers is courage — the kind that enables them to put their head into a frenzy of flying boots, or take a decisive penalty when thousands are willing them to fail.—
Andy Jones,
New York Times,
6 July 2025
Verb
-
Visualizations, correlation maps and plain-language summaries must be built into the interface—not buried in logs or reserved for advanced users.—
Karthik Sj,
Forbes.com,
30 July 2025
-
The incident happened on the outskirts of northwestern Goodyear, where a man was buried with dirt inside a trench at a construction site in a developing neighborhood, which led to a rescue operation that went on until the man's body was found the next morning.—
Rey Covarrubias Jr,
AZCentral.com,
29 July 2025
Video
Lay vs. Lie
Editor Emily Brewster clarifies the difference.
Cite this Entry
“Lay.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lay. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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